Crate.



R. F. HAMILTON & D. LIPSICH.

CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 12. 1913. RENEWED JUNE 16. 1915.

1,148,017. Patented July 27,1915.

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. CRATE.

APPLICATION FILED APR.I7,19I3- RENEWED JUNE 16. I915- 1,148;,017. Patented July 27, 1915.

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CRATE.

APPLICATION men APR. 12, 1913. RENEWED JUNE 16, 19:5. 1,148,017. Patented July 27, 1915.

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RICHARD F. HAMILTON AND IDA'VILD LI-IESIGH, OF -NEW YOBK, N. Y.; SAID LIPSIGIEE ASSIGNOR TO SAID HAMILTON.

CRATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. July 27, 1915.

Application filed April 12, 1813, Serial No. 760,723. Renewed June 16, 1915. Serial No. 34,563.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that we, RICHARD F. HAMIL- TON and DAVID LrrsroI-I, citizens of the United States of America, residing at New York city, borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, and New York city, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, respectively, have 1nvented certain new and useful Improvements in Crates, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to sheet metal crates for carrying bottles and the like, and consists throughout of interlocking parts held together withoutrivets or welded joints.

The best form of apparatus embodying our invention at present known to us 1s shown in the accompanying three sheets of drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a plan View of the completed crate. Fig. 2 is a bottom View. Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section on line 3'3 of Fig. 1, with parts broken away. Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the cross partitions (before assembling) with parts broken away. Fig.

5 is a similar view of one of the longitudinal partitions and Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view of two of the assembled partition strips and one of the bottom strips before being placed in the outer shell. the section being taken on line 66 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a detail side view of a portion of the top of p the shell of the box showing how the lugs are stamped out to hold the reinforcing strip thereon.

Throughout the drawings like reference characters indicate, like parts.

1 is the outer shell of sheet metal preferably formed of a single sheet bent into rectangular form. This shell preferably has a top stiffening strip or fold 2, formed or aflixcd in any convenient manner, and also a bottom strengthening and stiffening strip 3. These two parts are so shaped that they will nest one within the other when the crates are placed one on top of another. Also the shell 1 has an intermediate fold 4,

running around 'it' at any desiredpointbetop of shell 1 is bent slightly outward and one fold 22 of strip 2 is placed outside of this while the other fold goes inside of it and is extended inwardly and folded back horizontally, as shown at 23. After this is done lugs 12 and 21 are stamped out of 1 24, through 1 and 22, and the lug 21, passing through that hole in shelll firmly keys str1p2 to said shell. Atthe bottom of the boX similar lugs 11 and 31 are stamped in- "by folds 15 along their top edges and 25 along their bottom edges. In the same way strips 6 are stiffened by top folds 16 and bottom folds 26, the latter preferably being formed into horizontal flanges as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6. The strips of one set, preferably the cross strips 6, are slotted at 36 to permit the longitudinal strips to pass through them. These slots have enlargements 37 at their upper ends to receive folds 15, and others 38 at their lower ends to reand 22 respectively and bent inwardly, as 9 shown in Fig. 3. This leavesv a small hole ceive upwardly extending'clips 27, on the horizontal. bottom strips 7. The strips 7 are preferably given a channeled form, as shown in cross section in Fig. 3. The strips 5 have notches 35 formed in their upper edges to engage the uncut folded portions 16 of" strips 6 when the two sets of partition strips are assembled. As the strips 5 are made narrower than strips 6 so as to pass through slots 36, their lower edges are higher than the lower edges of strips 6 when assembled byoengagement of folds 16;in notches 35. To hold the parts 5, 6 and 7 in proper relative positions the ends of clips 27 may be bent upward, as shown at 47 to bear against the bottom edges of strips Figs. 3 and 6. 8,8,. are horizontal side bottom strips placed adjacent to the sides of shell 1 and held in position byupwardly-extending clips 5, as shown in 28 stamped out of strips 8, and passing" through slots 39 inv strips 6.

The strips 6 have upwardly projecting lugs 17 on their endsto engage slots 14, in

.fold 4 ,of shell 1, and downwardly project ing lugs 18 to engage bottom fold 3 in said shell. lugs 19, on their ends to engage slots 1&.

In assembling the parts to form the crate, the shell 1 is first formed with top reinforcement 2. The strips 5 and 6 are then interlocked, as shownin Fig. 6, and bottom strips 7 and 8 are slid into position, the latter being preferably arranged, as shown in Fig. 2 so that the clips 27 of one strip 7 point in one direction, and those of the next strip in the opposite direction. The clips 28 on strips 8 may be similarly arranged to point in directions opposite to the clips 27 on adjacent strips 7 .c The partition strips so interlocked are then inserted in shell 1 from the bottom, lugs 17 and 19 entering slots 14. infold 4i, and being clenched therein, as shown in Fig. 3. Bottom fold 8 is then bent over, enfolding lugs 18 and all the parts of the crate are thus locked together.

In use the bottom strips 7 and 8, and flanged folds 26 form supports for the bottoms of bottles or similar articles placed in the crate and the strips 7 with their downwardly bent edge in the same plane as bottom fold 3, as shown in Fig. 3, bear on the floor or rollers on which the crate may rest and form supports for the rack and the contained bottles independently of the shell 1. That is to say, the bottles rest di-, rectly on bottom strips 7. which rest on the floor, or on flanges 26 which rest on strips 7, or on strips 8, which are supported on fold 3, (or from strips 6, at points adjacent to fold 3), so that all the weight is transmitted directly to the foundation on which the crate rests. Consequently, there is little or no downward strain on partition strips 5 and 6, and no tendency for them to buckle as a result. no matter how hard the crate is slammed down on the floor or rollers beneath it. The strips 5 and 6 are also positively held against buckling by interlocking notches 35 and slots 36 and the whole structure presents a rigid resistance against deforming strains of every kind and the'partsare firmly held together without the use of rivets, solder or welded joints.

Some of the features described could be omitted or modified without wholly departing from the principle of our invention, but the best results follow from the specific construction above described.

One great advantage of the invention is the combination of lightness and strength resulting from the interlocking ribbed structure. A box or crate of this type and standard size for beer bottles weighs only about a pound more'than' a standard wooden box of the same size. The cross partitions being hooked and clenched into the folds in the outer shell and interlocked to prevent buckling, form a rigid system of bracing for the outer shell, so that light thin metal may Strips 5 have'upwardly projecting be used Without sacrificing strength. All use of Wires, rivets, and solder being avoided the parts can all be stamped out by machinery and rapidly assembled by unskilled labor, thus bringing the cost of the metal crate or box down nearly to the cost of the wooden box of the same size, at present prices of raw materials.

Having, therefore, described our invention, we claim:

1. A sheet metal crate comprising in combination a rectangular metal shell with an inwardly extending fold extending around it intermediate of its height and a series of longitudinal and cross partitions formed of' intersecting metal strips with projecting lugs at their ends engaging said fold, together with a U-shaped reinforcing strip extending around the bottom of the shell and clamped thereto, and lugs on the ends 'of the partition strips extending downward inside of said U-shaped strip.

2. A sheet metal crate comprising in combination a rectangular metal shell, a series of vertical cross strips slotted at intervals,

a series of vertical longitudinal strips passingthrough said slots, both said sets of strips being fastened into the shell, and a series of horizontal bottom strips placed under the longitudinal strips and having upwardly projecting clips passing through openings in the cross strips, together with horizontal side bottom strips placed adjacent to the sides of the metal shell and also having upwardly projecting clips passing through openings in the cross strips.

4:. A sheet metal crate comprising in combination a rectangular metal shell, 2. series of vertical cross strips slotted at intervals, a series of vertical longitudinalstrips passing through said slots, both said sets of strips being fastened into the shell, and a series of horizontal bottom strips placed underlongitudinal strips and having upwardly projecting clips passing through openings in the cross strips, the clips on adjacent strips pointing in opposite directions.

5. A sheet metal crate comprising in combination a rectangular metal shell, a series of vertical cross strips slotted at intervals, a series of vertical longitudinal strips passing through said slots, both. said sets of strips being fastened into the shell, and a series of horizontal bottom strips placed under the longitudinal strips and having upwardly projecting clips passing through openings in the cross strips, both longitudinal and cross strips being folded along their top and bottom edges to stiiien and strengthen them.

6. A metal box for carrying bottles and the like composed of a rectangular sheet metal shell, said shell having an inwardly folded rib, slotted at convenient points, running around it intermediate of its height, and a rack formed of intersecting metal strips having upwardly extending lugs at their upper corners adapted to pass through said slots and engage said rib so as to fasten the rack in the shell, and downwardly, 15

RICHARD F. HAMILTON. DAVID LIPSIGH.

Witnesses:

A. PARKER SMITH, M. G. CRAWFORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner or Patents, Washington, D. G. 

